Scrapbooked Calendar.

I love scrapbooking babies!  But, does anyone have less time to scrapbook than a new mother?  I made this calendar for my niece to record her new baby's first year. It begins the month she was born.  If/when I make another, it will be 13 months to include her first birthday. And, it will have journaling tags on every page.   With this calendar, she can jot down the fun 'first year' events and milestones.

Here is the cover:

CTMH For Always Mini Album

I saw this gift bag on Pinterest (http://inallsassiness.blogspot.com/2013/06/pinwheel-gifts-and-gift-bag.html)

 and it really appealed to me because its an inexpensive way to use up scrap paper and have a cute gift bag customized for the occasion.  In this case, it's a perfect match for the mini album.  

The pinwheel and paper shapes on the bag and flowers on the album were all cut using the CTMH Artsiste Cricut cartridge.  The paper and stickers are CTMH For Always collection. 

This is the last page of the album. "Wedding" was also cut from the Artiste cartridge. It's a little photo album within an album.  See:

It opens up and the recipient can slip pictures in the flip flaps. 

Here is another little photo flap on another page:

Tresa Black shows how to do these pull out pages (and about a million other great ideas) on her Fabulously Artsy blog:

Of course, all minis need lots of tags. 

Finally, wedding cards. I don't know why I made two (actually, I there are four - I'm given to excesses)

Happy Crafting!

Sweet, Sweet, Garden

How dearly do I love the garden!  And how sweet is the quiet retreat after a trying year of work.  I love my job.  Really I do.  But there are so many people.  By this time of  year, I am thoroughly peopled out and ready for dirt.  And weeds.  And worms. And creepy crawlies of every sort.  

The modern, suburban yard doesn't really do it for me.  It's the soulfulness of of an old-fashioned garden with all its imperfections that feels like life and peace to me. 

I never had a plan, never spent much money, but I love the culminating effect of a hundred little cuttings from friends' gardens, countless Mother's Day gifts, dozens upon dozens of dozens of frost-bitten starts salvaged from trash bins of local nurseries.

My husband loves working with iron and I love being married to a blacksmith - it's such a manly form of creativity :) 

Wishing you a soulful summer day in the garden!

Another CTMH Artiste Card

I've wanted to try this Thanks card on the Artiste cartridge, but I didn't want the "Thanks" to be the same color as the card. I finally figured out how to layer it.  I cut the base (p. 65 of the Artiste booklet) at 4 1/4 inches. This makes a perfect 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inch card. Then I changed the setting to mm instead of inches and cut "Thanks" at 1.40 mm.  This layer fit right over the Thanks on the card, the discovery of which caused an outburst of joyous exuberance and much dancing about the studio.  As soon as I press "post" I'm trying another new Artiste project.  

Happy Crafting!

Monogram Cards

These fun little cards and box, tag, and flowers were cut using the CTMH Artiste cartridge. The paper is CTMH Chantilly and the monogram is CTMH Token alphabet. I used a little piece of Velcro on the card flap. At first I was a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of shapes on this cartridge, but I'm having a good time experimenting with the hundreds of possibilities.

HappyCrafting!

Monogram Cards

Rain pairs beautifully with paper crafts for the perfect Sunday. Originally, today's plan was to turn flower beds, but gray skies shifted the focus to monogram cards and gift boxes.

All supplies are CTMH: For Always Paper, Artiste Cricut Cartridge, the monogram is from the Token alphabet set.

Happy Crafting!

Mouse Traps

I get it. Decorating mouse traps takes the whole paper crafting thing a step too far. But... If you can transform a mousetrap into a Victorian memo holder, why not do it? Just a hint before you try this yourself: don't stain the back of the mousetrap. The magnets don't adhere well on the stain. If you leave the back unstained and use E 6000 on the magnets, they'll stay stuck.

Happy Crafting!

La Belle Vie

My sweet husband grilled a beautiful fish dinner for me and faithfully maintained my wine glass leaving me free to revel in paper, ink , and stamps.

The paper is La Belle Vie by CTMH. Pretty much in love with it.

After Zillions of mini albums it seems a few cards have made their way to the top of my crafting agenda. I am crazy about that little magazine-holder-card-box. It's a Cricut cut, so it's pretty easy. In fact, all the cuts are Cricut, except the bird cage.

Tiana's Wedding Album

 I've been working on my Niece's wedding album.  Most of the paper is GCD Paris Nights.  Many of the swirls and tags are cut using the Close To My Heart Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge.  And, there are numerous scraps from the ever-growing embellishment heap in my scrap room.

 I love the black swirls and the "time to celebrate" tags.  The swirls were cut from black glitter paper using the CTMH Art Philosophy cartridge.  The paper is thick and sturdy and the cuts are perfect.

 The swirls were stamped from a now-retired CTMH stamp.  See the dress form in the bottom right hand corner?  That was cut from using the CTMH Artiste cartridge.  I think that new cartridge will get a lot of use.  The butterfly wings behind the dress form was stamped using the CTMH Find Your Style stamp.  That may be all-time favorite stamp.

 All of the letters were cut using the Art Philosophy cartridge.

The border punch is EK success - I like how it goes with the paper.  I made a few other pages, but I think these were my favorite.

Happy Crafting!

I

CTMH Display Album

I made this for a friend to display pictures of her ADORABLE grandchildren and children.  There are 24 pages (12 front and back) plus the covers and a handful of tags, so there should be adequate space for lots of pictures.

Too many papers and stamps to list, but most supplies are CTMH and most cuts are from the CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge.  Email me if you have questions about a specific paper, stamp or tool.